Apparatus for transferring material in mines



May 6, E947. c. F. osGooD I APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING MATERIAL IN MINESFiled April '7, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet l Huw@ IMay 6, 1947. c. F. osGooDAPPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING MATERIAL IN MINES Filed April 7, 1944 6Sheets-Sheet 2 May 6, 1947.

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C. F. OSGOOD APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING MATERIAL IN MINES l v :Asl NullE ll'hhll Filed April '7, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 nw AM \h,

6 Sheets-Sheet 4 C. F. OSGOOD APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING MATERIAL INMINES Filed April 7, 1944 Illllllllllnllllllll May 6, w47.A

6,. i947. C, F, OSGOOD 2,420,009

APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING MATERIAL IN MINES Filed April 7, 1944 esheets-sheet 5 May 6, i4? c. F. osGooD APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRINGMATERIAL IN MINES Filed April '7, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 20. 0 l www jim?ri Patented May 6. 1947 APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRNG MATERIAL l'N MINESCharles F. Osgood, Claremont, N. H., assignor'to Joy ManufacturingCompany, a corporation of v Pennsylvania Application April 7, 1944,Serial No. 530,009

16 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for transferring material andmore particularly to an improved apparatus for loading, hauling andunloading loose material in an underground mine.

Heretofore, in trackless coal mines, it has been common practice toemploy self-propelled cars commonly known as shuttle cars to eiecttransfer of coal or other material from the working face to the mainentry of the mine. Such shuttle cars are separately operated and asindividual units must have their own power operated propelling andsteering means, and are accordingly more costly than similar equipmentwhich omits power Ypropulsion and steering. In known instances, intrackless coal mines, a train of cars has been moved about the mine by atractor unit, but such train must be completely turned around after eachtransfer cycle since there is a power operated propelling and steeringunit at but one end of the train, preventing reversal of the train.Considerable time and space are necessary to permit turning of arelatively long train of cars in an underground mine. Such train of carsmust also be loaded from the side by a mobile loading machine, andconsiderable time must be consumed in the maneuvering of the train andthe loading machine to effect complete loading of all of the cars of thetrain. By the provision of a train of rubber-tired wheeled cars whereinthe end car units of the train are power operated and the intermediatecar units are trailer cars, it is possible to move relatively largequantities of material about the mine without the necessity of turningthe train around after each transfer cycle. Since the intermediatetrailer cars have no power operated propelling and steering means, theirindividual cost is considerably less than that of a conventional shuttlecar so that the initial investment in equipment is considerably loweredover convention shuttle car equipment having similar capacity. Also bythe provision of a bottom conveyor for each car unit of the train, thetrain may be completely loaded from one end, thereby eliminating thenecessity of spotting the cars and the time consuming maneuvering of theloading machine and cars during the loading operation. Also, by theprovision of such bottom conveyors for each car unit, the entire trainmay be unloaded from one end of the train.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatusfor transferring loose material in mines. Another object is to providean improved apparatus for loading, hauling and unloading loose materialin underground mines. Still another object is to provide an improvedmaterial transfer apparatus especially designed for use in tracklesscoal mines. A further object is to provide an articulated train ofmaterial transport cars mounted on rubbertired wheels adapted to rundirectly over the floor of a mine for hauling loose material from onelocation to another. Still another object is to provide a train ofarticulated material transport cars having conveying means for movingmaterial along the entire length of the train and provided with a poweroperated propelling unit at each end of the train. A still furtherobject is to provide an improved material transfer apparatus embodying atrain of articulated material transport cars and having a power operatedpropelling and steering unit at each end of the train, whereby the1atter may be operated in either of opposite directions. A furtherobject is to provide an improved material transfer apparatus embodying atrain of articulated material transport cars and means for loadingmaterial into the cars at one end of the train and for unloading thematerial from the cars at the opposite end of the train. Another objectis to provide in an apparatus of the above character improved means formoving the material to be transported lengthwise of the train, wherebyall of the cars of the train may be filled with material and whereby allof the cars of the train may be unloaded from an end of the train. Theseand other objects and advantages of the invention will, however,hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustrationone form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. l is a plan View of the improved apparatus for loading, hauling andunloading loose material in mines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation showing a pairof adjacent car units coupled together.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the loading car unit, shown in Figs.1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of the loading car unit shown in Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the unloading car unit shown in Figs.1 and 2. Fig. 'I is aside elevational view of the unloading car unitshown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of one of the acsopoo intermediatetrailer car units shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the trailer car unit shown in Fig.8.

Fig. is a bottom view, shown somewhat diagrammatically, illustrating thesliding drawbar and swiveled wheel 'mounting structure of the trailercars.

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on line I I-II ofFig. 8, .showing the trailer car structure.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the method oi operation ofthe improved material transferapparatus in an underground coal mine.

In this illustrative embodiment of the invention, there is shown amaterial transfer apparatus embodying a train of articulated materialtransport receptacles and having a power operated propelling andsteering unit at each end of the train, 'I'he material transportreceptacles are herein in the form of mine cars loosely coupled togetherand mounted on rubber-tired wheels adapted to run directly over the doorof a mine.

In this novel construction, the train includes a power operated loadingunit, generally designated I, at one end of the train and a poweroperated unloading unit, generally designated 2, at the other end of thetrain, and there is a series of intermediate trailer car units,generally designated 3. The trailer car units are coupled to the endpower units and are coupled together. The loading and unloading units Iand 2 each have propelling and steering means, and the loading unit Ihas a loading head 4, and the unloading unit 2 has an unloading tail 5.'I'he units I, 2 and 3 have relatively large capacity material receivingreceptacles or bodies for receiving the material to be transported orhauled about the mine. Each of the units I, 2 and 3 has a bottomconveyor whereby the cars may be loaded and unloaded, as will later beexplained, and the power operated propelling and steering units at theends of the train are each provided with a station for an operator,whereby the train may be controlled during its operation, and theconveyors of the several units may be started and stopped as desired,under operator control from either end of the train.

The train, due toits rubber-tired wheel mountings, may run about themine without the aid of a guiding trackway, and, by the provision of apower operated propelling and steering unit at each end of the train,the train may be operated in either of opposite directions as desired.The loading head 4 may load loose material from the mine floor into thereceptacle or body of the loading unit, and the conveyors of the severalunits may be operated so that the cars of the entire train may becompletely loaded with material from one end of the train. And theconveyors may be operated so that the entire train of cars may beunloaded from the opposite end of the train. Thus the train may beshuttled back and forth between the coal face and the main entry of amine without the necessity of turning the train around after eachtransfer cycle as has heretofore been necessary in trackless coal mines.

Now referring to the specic structure of the apparatus and moreparticularly to the speciiic structure of the loading unit I, shown inFigs. 4 and 5, it will be noted that a relatively large capacityreceptacle or car body 6 is mounted on rubber-tired wheels 1 and 8adapted lto run directly over the iloor of the mine. The wheels 1 aresteering wheels while the wheels 8 are traction wheels, and the lattermay be driven by motors I.

9 through conventional chain and sprocket transmission connections Il.Extending longitudinally of the loading unit along the bottom of the carbody is an endless bottom conveyor II. A motor l2 drives the liquidpumping means, as later explained. The loading head 4 has conventionalgathering devices I3, I3 herein in the form of gathering armsrespectively driven by motors I4, I4 through conventional transmissionconnections I5, and the conveyor II is driven through a p0rtion of theseconnections. The gathering devices operate to move loose material suchas loose coal from the mine iloor onto an elevating conveyor Il driventhrough suitable connections Il from the motors I4. The motors 3, I2 andI4 are preferably electric motors, although any suitable type of motormay be employed. The loading head 4 is pivotally mounted at I8 to swingin a vertical direction, and hydraulic jacks I9 are provided to effectswinging of the loading head from its lowered loading position to itselevated transport position and vice versa. If desired, the loading head4 may be omitted from the end car unit I, and the cars may be loaded bya separate loading apparatus in the manner well known to those skilledin the art. 'I'he steering wheels l are swiveled at 20 at the sides ofthe car body and may be operated to effect steering by a hydraulicsteering cylinder 2l through conventional link and lever steeringconnections 22. The discharge or tail end 23 of the conveyor II isvertically tiltable about a horizontal pivot 24 by means of hydraulicjacks 25. 'I'hus the discharge height of the conveyor may be varied asdesired. At one side of the car body is a recess or platform 23 toprovide a station for the operator of the loading unit I, and usualcontrols Z'I are conveniently located near the operator's station sothat the various power operated devices of the loading unit I may bereadily operated and controlled. The loading unit has, at its endopposite from the loading head, a conventional drawbar coulpling 28.

Now referring to the unloading or discharge unit 2 at the opposite endof the train, it will be observed that, in Figs. 6 and 7, there is showna. material receiving receptacle or car body 30 of relatively largecapacity mounted on rubber-tired wheels 3| and 32 adapted to rundirectly over the mine iioor. The wheels 3l are steering wheels and thewheels 32 are traction wheels, the latter being driven by motors 33, 33through conventional chain and sprocket transmission connections 34.Extending longitudinally along th'e bottom oi.' the car body is anendless bottom conveyor 35 driven by a. motor 36. The steering wheels 3|are swiveled at 3l and may be operated to effect steering by a hydraulicsteering cylinder 38 through link and lever steering connections 39.'I'he tail end 40 of the discharge conveyor is vertically tiltable abouta pivot 4I and is adjustable by hydraulic jacks 42. A motor 43 drivesthe liquid pumping means. The motors 33, 36 and 43 are likewisepreferably electric motors. Mounted at one side of the car body is anautomatic cable reel 44 for an electric conductor cable 45. As in theloading unit I above described, the unloading or discharge unit 2 has arecess or platform 43 to provide a station for the operator, andcontrols 41 for the various power operated devices of the unloading unitare conveniently located near th'e operators station. The unloading ordischarge unit has, at its end opposite from its discharge end, aconventional drawbar coupling 48.

The intermediate trailer units 3, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, includelarge capacity material receiving receptacles or car bodies 50 mountedon rubber-tired wheels I and 52 adapted to run directly over the minefloor. The trailer units 3 have no power operated propelling andsteering means and are moved about the mine by means of the power umts land 2 at the opposite ends of the train. Each of the bodies of thetrailer units 3 has extending longitudinally thereof along its bottom anendless conveyor 53 driven by a motor 54 through conventional chain andsprocket connections 55. Each conveyor 53 has an elevated discharge end55 which may be vertically adjustable similarly to the conveyors of theend car units I and 2, if desired. In Fig. 1l, a trailer car 3 is shownin cross section to illustrate the shape of the car body and thearrangement of the bottom conveyor 53. and the bodies of t'h'e othercars and the other conveyors may be similarly shaped and arranged. Thewheels 5I and 52 of each trailer car 3, as shown in Fig. 10, areswiveled at 51 to facilitate steering of the trailer car as it is hauledback and forth about thev mine. The swiveled wheels of each pair 5i and52 are connected by cross links 58, and each cross link 53 is connectedby a pin and slot 59 to a swinging drawbar or steering arm 50.' Thedrawbars 50 are pivoted at Bl to the opposite ends of a sliding drawbar52 mounted for limited longitudinal movement in guide slots 63 formed incross axles 54 secured to the bottom of the car body. The coupling barsof the adjacent car units are attachable to the swinging drawbars G in aconventional manner thereby to provide some ilexibility of movement inhorizontal and vertical directions. To limit the longitudinal movementof the sliding drawbar 52, the latter is provided with spaced lugs G5and 56 located at the opposite sides of rigid cross members 6'! securedto the car body. The lugs 85, 56 are so arranged that, when the drawbar62 is slid longitudinally in one direction, one set of lugs engage thecross members 6l, and, when slid in the opposite direction, the otherset of lugs engage the transverse axles 6B. When the v.lrawbar 62 isslid to the right, as viewed in Fig.

10, the left-hand pivoted drawbar 60 moves within the slot 63 so that itis locked against pivotal movement. At that time the right-hand. drawbar53 is free to swing about its pivot 5I to eiect `swiveling of the wheels52. When the drawbar 52 is slid to the left in Fig. 10, the right-handdrawbar 63 is locked and the left-hand drawbar 5D is free to swing toeect steering. By this arrangement, it is apparent that when it isdesired to move the trailer car units 3 in either direction, a pullingforce is exerted on the drawbars 52 to slide the latter along the carbottoms until they are stopped by the lugs. Thus the leading wheels ofthe trailer car units are always free to swing, while the trailingwheels thereof are locked against swinging movement. By the provision ofsuch swivel mountings for the trailer car wheels steering of th'etrailer cars,'as the train moves back and forth during its operation, isfacilitated. This steering feature will permit the trailer cars to bereadily moved through the curved passageways in the mine and willmaterially facilitate moving of the train back and forth between thecoal face and the main entry of the mine. Other suitable manners oflocking the trailing wheels against swinging movement and for freeingthe leading wheels may be employed. The loose couplings between theconventional drawbars permit exibility in horizontal and vertical planestheremanner.

by to facilitate movement of the train through the sharply curvedpassageways and over the uneven floor of a mine.

When the train of articulated cars Vroll along the mine floor from themain entry of the mine into a mine passageway which has no trolley wire,the conductor cable 45 may be connected to the 'trolley wire in theentry, and as the Vtrain moves into the passageway, the cable reel Mautomatically pays out the conductor cable in a well known When thetrain moves in theopposite direction toward the main entry, the cablereel automatically winds in the conductor cable. The articulated carunits I, 2 and 3 .of the train may be provided with conventionalelectrical controllers so that the various electric motors of theseveral car units may be operated and controlled as desired. Thecontrols for the motors of the conveyors of the intermediate trailerunits 3 may be. V located near the operators stations on the end.

power units I and 2 of the train so that the intermediate conveyors 53may be operated and controlled from the operators stations on the endcar units. Such remote controls for electric motors are well known.Power may be conducted from the cable reel -44 through conductoi cables'l extending through conduits II along one side of each of the trailercar units 3, and suitable detachable flame-proof couplings 'I2 (Fig. 3)may be provided between adjacent car units.

Each of the end car units I and 2 of the train may respectively beprovided with pumps I3 and I6 respectively driven -by thev electricmotors I2 and E3 for supplying liquid under pressure to the varioushydraulically operated devices of the train. Obviously, the wheels ofthe'several car units may be provided with conventional brakes whichlikewise may be hydraulically operated in a well known manner.

The general mode of operation of the improved material transferapparatus above described is as follows. The train of articulated carsmay be steered and propelled as it moves about the mine by either orboth of the end power units I and l2, and, by the provision of the loosecouplings between the series of car units and the swiveled wheelmountings, the train may readily negotiate the curved passageways of anunderground mine, inthe manner shown diagrammatically in Fig, 12. InFig. 2 the train is shown in loading position with the end loading unitI located near the working face, and the loading head may be operated togather the loose material or loose coal from the mine floor, to elevatethe loose coal'and to discharge the coal so elevated into the car body.The conveyors I Il, 35 and 53 of the series of car units I, 2 and 3 maybe concurrently or independently operated to move the materiallongitudinally of the train in such manner as to iill completely thecars of the entire train. When -the train is loaded to capacity, theloading head B may be raised into its transport position. The train maythen be propelled by the traction wheels 32 of the unloading unit 2 tothe left, as viewed in Fig. 2, and the leading wheels of theintermediate trailer cars are automatically freed by drawbar pull toenable swiveling thereof while the trailing wheels are automaticallylocked against swiveling movement. The train of cars may be steered andpropelled by the leading end power unit or by both end power units. Whenthe main entry is reached and it is desired to unload the materialcarried by the train, the conveyors Il, 35 ard 53' of all of the carunits may be concurrently operly from the train at one end of the train.Thus it will be evident that the train may be completely loaded withmaterial from one end, and the material may be completely unloaded fromthe train from its opposite end. After unloading, the train may bepropelled to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, by the leading power unitor by both end power units thus obviating the necessity of completelyturning the entire train around upon the completion of each materialtransfer cycle.

As a result of this invention an improved apparatus for transferringmaterial in mines is provided, whereby the material transfer cycle isgreatly expedited over previous known methods. By the provision of thetrain of articulated material transport cars embodying a power operatedpropelling and steering unit at each end of the train, large quantitiesof material may be transferred in an underground mine with comparativerapidity. 'I'he steering and coupling arrangement between the series ofcars enables the train easily to negotiate the curved and relativelyrestricted passageways of an underground mine. Moreover, by theprovision of a power operated propelling and steering unitat each end ofthe train, the train may be rapidly shuttled back and forth between thepoints of loading and unloading without the necessity of turning thetrain around at the end of each transfer cycle. Other uses andadvantages of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specically.

described one form which the invention may assume in practice it will beunderstood that this form is disclosed for purposes of illustration andthat the invention may be modified and embodied in various other formswithout departing from its spirit or the scopeof the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A self-contained apparatus for gathering, hauling, and unloadingloose material in mines comprising a laterally and vertically flexibletrain including a series of articulated wheel supported materialtransport cars flexibly coupled to turn laterally and vertically ineither direction and adapted to travel over the uneven iloor and throughthe' curved passageways of a mine without the aid of a guiding trackway,said cars each having a material receiving compartment and steeringwheels, a material gathering and loading device carried by the end carat one end of the train for loading material onto the train, mechanicalpower operated means associated with each car and discharging into thecompartment of the next adjacent car for progressively moving thematerial so loaded from car to car length- 4wise of the train to fillall of the compartments irrespective of the laterally and verticallyflexed position of the train, said compartments having overlapping sidesand bottom portions at the discharge ends of said material moving meansand said moving means being so arranged in said compartments and soconstructed that the material may be moved from car to car withoutappreciable spillage even when the train is laterally and verticallyexed as aforesaid, and a material discharge device carried by the endcar at the opposite end of the train for discharging the material fromthe train, said mechanical moving means operating to move the materialprogressively from car t car during such discharge.

2. A self-contained apparatus for gathering, hauling and unloading loosematerial in mines comprising a laterally and vertically flexible trainincluding a series of articulated wheel supported material transportcars ilexibly coupled to turn laterally and vertically in eitherdirection and adapted to travel over the uneven floor and through thecurved passageways of a mine without the aid of a guiding trackway, saidcars each having a material receiving compartment and steering wheels, amaterial gathering and loading device carried by the end car at one endof the train for gathering material and for loading material so gatheredonto the train, mechanical power operated, independently controllableconveying means extending along the bottom of the compartment of eachcar and discharging into the compartment of the next adjacent car forprogressively moving the material so loaded from car to car lengthwiseof the train so that the compartments of all of the cars may be illledwith material irrespective of the laterally and vertically flexedposition of the train, said compartments having overlapping sides andbottom portions at the discharge ends of said material conveying meansand said conveying means being so arranged in said compartments and soconstructed that the material may be moved from car to car withoutappreciable spillage even when the .train is laterally and verticallyilexed as aforesaid, and a material discharge device carried by the endcar at the opposite end of the train for discharging the material fromthe train, said conveying means being controllable to move the materialprogressively from car to car during such discharge.

3. A self-contained apparatus for loading,

' hauling and unloading loose material in mines comprising a laterallyand vertically exible train including a series of flexibly coupledmaterial transport cars having supporting wheels adapted to run directlyalong the mine floor without the aid of the guiding trackway and eachh-aving steering means so that the cars may turn laterally in eitherdirection with respect to one another as the train moves through thecurved passageways of a mine, and each car having a material receivingcompartment, a material gathering and loading device carried by .the endcar at one end 0f the train for gathering material from the mine` floorand for moving the material onto the train, mechanical power. operatedmeans extending along the bottom of .the compartment of each car anddischarging into the next adiacent compartment for moving the materialdischarged from said loading device progressively from car to carlengthwise of the train to tlll the compartments of the several carswith material irrespective of the laterally andvertically flexedposition of the train, said compartments having overlapping sides andbottom portions at the discharge ends of said material moving means andsaid moving means being so arranged in said compartments and soconstructed that the materia] may be moved from car to car withoutappreclable spillage even when the train is laterally and verticallyexed as aforesaid, and a material discharge device carried by the endcar at the opposite end oi' the train for discharging the material fromthe train, said conveying means operating to move the materialprogressively from car to carduring such discharge.

4. A self-contained, reversible apparatus for hauling loose material inmines comprising a. laterally and vertically flexible train including aseries of articulated wheel supported material transport cars flexiblycoupled together and each having a material receiving compartment, eachof said cars having steering wheels and the intermediate cars havingreversible, bodily longitudinally shiftable control mechanism for thesteering Wheels thereof for rendering the wheels at one end or at theother of each intermediate car' effective to steer depending upon thedirec- -tion of movement of the train, the end cars having prime moversand embodying power operated propelling and steering means for drivingcertain of the wheels of the end cars and for operating the steeringwheels of said end cars whereby the train may be propelled and steeredas it moves through the curved passageways of a mine, said end carsconstituting the propelling means for the intermediate cars regardlessof the direction in which the train is propelled and controlling theactuation of said shiftable control mechansm whereby the steering meansof the end cars control the steering means of the intermediate carsduring either direction of movement thereof.

5. A self-contained, reversible apparatus for transferring material inmines comprising a laterally and vertically flexible train ofarticulated wheel supported material transport cars flexibly coupledtogether and adapted to travel over the uneven floor and through thesharply curved passageways of a mine without the aid of a guidingtrackway, each of said cars having steering Wheels and a materialreceiving body, the intermediate cars having reversible, bodilylongitudinally shiftable control mechanism for the steering Wheelsthereof for rendering the wheels at one end or at the other of eachintermediate car effective to steer depending upon the direction ofmovement of the train, and the end cars at the opposite ends of thetrain having propelling and steering means for propelling and steeringthe train regardless of the direction in which the train is propelled,said propellingr means of said end cars effecting bodily shifting ofsaid reversible control mechanism to control the steering wheels of theintermediate cars during either direction of movement of the train.

6. A self-contained apparatus for transferring material in minescomprising a laterally and vertically iiexible train of articulatedwheel supported material transport cars flexibly coupled together andadapted to travel over the uneven floor and through the sharply curvedpassageways of a mine without the aid of a guiding trackway, each ofsaid cars having steering wheels and a material receiving body of largecapacity, power operated mechanical conveying means extending along thebottom of each of said car bodies for moving the material from 'car tocar lengthwise of the train irrespective of the iiexed relation of thetrain, said conveying means being so arranged with respect to the carsthat 10 erally and vertically exible train of articulated wheelSupported material transport cars exibly coupled together and adapted totravel over the uneven iioor and through the sharply curved passagewaysof a mine without the aid of a guiding trackway, each of said carshaving steering wheels -and a material receiving body and theintermediate cars having reversible, bodily longitudinally shiftablecontrol mechanism for the steering wheels thereof for rendering thewheels at one end or at the other of each intermediate car effective tosteer depending upon the. direction of movement of the train, the endcars at the opposite ends of the train having steering means forsteering the train and said end cars being power operated andconstituting propelling means for the intermediate trailer cars forshuttling the train rapidly back and forth between spaced locations ina, mine without turning the tops of the portions of said conveying meansso arranged in said car bodies an-d so constructed that the material maybe moved from car to car even when the cars are laterally or verticallyexed out of a straight line without appreciable spillage of thematerial. a

7. A self-contained, reversible apparatus for transferring material inmines comprising a. lataround of the train, said propelling means forsaid end cars effecting bodily shifting of said reversible controlmechanism for controlling the steering wheels of said intermediate carsas the train is moved in one direction or the other.

8. A self-contained, reversible apparatus vfor hauling loose material inmines comprising a laterally and vertically flexible train including aseries of articulated wheel supported material transport cars flexiblycoupled together and each having a material receiving compartment, eachof said cars having steering means and the intermediate cars each havingfront and rear steering wheels mounted to swing horizontally andreversely actuatable drawbar means for alternately locking the swingablesteering wheels at one end of each of the intermediate cars depending onthe direction in which the train is pulled, the end cars having primemovers and embodying power operated propelling and steering means fordriving certain of the wheels of the end cars and for operating thesteering means of said end cars whereby the train may be propelled'.lated wheel supported material transport cars iiexibly coupledtogether and adapted to travel over the uneven door and through thesharply curved passageways of a mine without the -aid of a guidingtrackway, each of the cars having steering wheels and a materialreceiving body, and the intermediate cars having reversely actuatablebodily longitudinally shiftable drawbar means for the steering wheelsthereof for controlling steering thereby, and the end cars at theopposite ends of the train having power operated propelling and steeringmeans for propelling and steering the train regardless of the directionin which the train is propelled, said end cars being coupled to saidshiftable drawbar means and said propelling means of said end carseffecting shift-` ing'of said drawbar means to make operative thesteering wheels at one end or at the other of each of the intermediatecars depending upon the direction of movement of the train.

10. A material transferring apparatus for mines, comprising a laterallyand vertically nexible train including a series of articulated wheelsupported, rubber-tired material transport cars ilexibly coupledtogether to turn laterally in either direction and to move up and downrelative to each other therebyto facilitate movement of the trainthrough the sharply curved passageways and over an uneven floor of amine without the aid of a guiding trackway, each car having a materialreceiving compartment and steering wheels and each compartment having aconveyor extending along the bottom thereof, said cars havingoverlapping sides and bottom portions at the discharge ends of theconveyors and said conveyors being so arranged in said compartments thatmaterial may be moved progressively from car to car lengthwise of thetrain without appreciable spillage even when the train is laterally andvertically ilexed as aforesaid, the end cars of the train having poweroperated wheel driving means and power operated steering means andconstituting power units for pulling the train in one direction or theother, and the intermediate cars being trailer cars and being propelledby said end cars and the steering wheels of said intermediate cars beingcontrolled by the steering means of said end cars, and each of said carshaving power operated driving means for the conveyors thereof wherebythe conveyors may be selectively operated to move the material receivedin the end car at one end of the train progressively from car to' car toill the compartments of all of the cars, and whereby the conveyors maybe concurrently operated to move the material progressively from car tocar continuously along the length of the train to discharge the materialfrom the end car at the opposite end of the train.

11. A self-contained, reversible apparatus for hauling loose material inunderground mines, comprising a laterally and vertically flexible trainincluding a series of articulated wheel-supported material transportcars exibly coupled together and each having a material receivingcompartment, each of said cars having steering means and theintermediate cars being trailer cars and each having front and rearsteering wheels mounted to swing horizontally, locking means for holdingsaid wheels against swinging movement, and reversely actuatable,longitudinally shiftable control means for actuating said locking meansalternately to lock the swingable steering wheels at one end of each ofthe intermediate cars depending upon the direction in which the train ispulled, the end cars having prime movers and embodying power operatedpropelling and steering means for driving certain of the wheels of theend cars and for operating the steering means of the end cars wherebythe train may be propelled and steered as it moves through the curvedpassageway/s of a mine, said end cars constituting the propelling meansfor the intermediate cars regardless of the direction in which the trainis propelled and connected to said shiftable control means whereby thesteering wheels of the intermediate cars are automatically controlled inaccordance with the direction in which the train is propelled. v

12. A self-contained, reversible apparatus for hauling loose material inunderground mines, comprising a laterally exible train, including aseries of articulated wheel-supported material transport cars flexiblycoupled together and each having a material receiving compartment, eachmediate cars being trailer cars and each having front and rear steeringwheels mounted to swing horizontally, locking means for holding saidwheels against swinging movement and reversely actuatable,longitudinally shiftable control means for said locking means foralternately locking the swingable steering wheels at one end of each ofthe intermediate cars depending upon the direction in which the train isp ulled, the end cars having prime movers and embodying power operatedpropelling and steering means for driving certain of the wheels of theend cars and for operating the steering meansoi the end cars whereby thetrain may be propelled and steered as it moves through the curvedpassageways of a mine, and said end cars constituting the propellingmeans for the intermediate cars regardless ofthe direction in which thetrain is propelled and connected to said shiftable lock control meanswhereby the steering means of the intermediate cars are automaticallycontrolled in accordance with the direction in which the train ispropelled.

13. A self-contained, reversible apparatus for hauling loose material inunderground mines, comprising a laterally and vertically flexible trainincluding a series of articulated wheel-supported material transportcars exiblycoupled together and each having a material receivingcompartment, each of said cars having steering means and theintermediate cars being trailer cars and each having front and rearsteering wheels mounted to swing horizontally, and reversely actuatablecontrol means for alternately holding the steering wheels at one end ofeach intermediate car against swinging movement depending upon thedirection in which the train is pulled, the end cars having prime moversand power operated propelling and 4steering means for driving certain ofthe wheels of the end cars and for operating the steering means of theend cars whereby the train may be propelled and steered as it movesthrough the curved passageways of a mine, said end cars constitutingpropelling means for the intermediate cars regardless of the directionin which the train is propelled and operatively connected to saidcontrol means whereby diierent steering wheels of the intermediate carsmay be rendered eiective depending upon the direction in which the trainis propelled.

14. A self-contained apparatus for hauling loose material in minescomprising a laterally and vertically ilexible train including a seriesof articulated wheel supported material transport cars exibly coupled toturn laterally and vertically in either direction and adapted to travelover the uneven floor and through the curved passageways of a minewithout the aid of a guiding trackway, said cars each having a materialreceiving compartment and steering wheels, mechanical power operatedmeans associated with each car and discharging into the compartment ofthe next adjacent car for progressively moving the material from car tocar lengthwise of the train to ll all of the compartments irrespectiveof the laterally and vertically ilexed position of the train, saidcompartments having overlapping sides and bottom portions at thedischarge ends of said material moving means and said moving means beingso arranged in said compartments and so constructed that the maandvertically ilexed as aforesaid, and a material .of said cars havingsteering means and the interdischarge device carried by an end car ofthe over the uneven floor and through the curved passageways of a minewithout the aid of a guiding trackway, said cars each having a materialreceiving compartment and steering wheels, mechanical power operated.independently controllable conveying means extending along the bottom ofthe compartment oi each car and discharging into the compartment of thenext adjacent car for progressively moving the material from car to carlengthwise of the train so that the compartments of all of the cars maybe illled with material irrespective of the laterally and verticallyflexed position of the train, said compartments having overlapping sidesand bottom portions at the discharge ends of said material conveyingmeans and said conveying means being so arranged in said compartmentsand so constructed that the material may be moved from car to carwithout appreciable spillage even when the train is laterally andvertically flexed as aforesaid, and a material discharge device carriedby an end car of the train for discharging the material from the train,said conveying means being controllable to move the materialprogressively from car to car during such discharge.

16. A self-contained apparatus for hauling loose material in minescomprising a laterally and vertically ilexible train including a seriesof ilexibly coupled material transport cars having supporting wheelsadapted to run directly along the mine floor without the aid of theguiding trackway and each having steering means so that the cars mayturn laterally in either direction with respect to one another as thetrain moves through the curved passageways of a mine, and each carhaving a material receiving com'- partment, mechanical power operatedmeans ex- 14 tending along the bottom of the compartment o! each car anddischarging into the next adjacent compartment for moving the materialprogressively from car to car lengthwise of the train to illl thecompartments of the several cars with' material irrespective of thelaterally and vertically flexed position of the train, said compartmentshaving overlapping sides and bottom portions at the discharge ends ofsaid material moving means and said moving means being so arranged insaid compartments and so constructed that the material may be moved fromcar to car without appreciable spillage even when the train is laterallyand vertically ilexed as aforesaid, and a material discharge devicecarried by an end car of the train for discharging the material from thetrain, said conveying means operating to move the material progressivelyfrom car to car during such discharge.

CHARLES F. OSGOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,108,536 Joy Feb. 15, 19381,683,287 Coburn et al. Sept. 4, 1928 2,282,704 Butters May 12, 19421,602,779 Prockter. Oct. 12, 1926 1,218,908 Shutt Mar. 13, 1917 775,765Renard Nov. 22, 1904 992,682 Muller May 16, 1911 2,225,185 Sloane Dec.17, 1940 1,442,342 Hines Jan, 16, 1923 1,512,521 Cadman Oct. 21, 19241,505,476 London Aug. 19, 1924 776,994 Brennan Dec, 6, 1904 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 435,193 French Oct. 13, 1911 8,364 BritishOct. 7, 1910 8,022 Austrian June 25, 1902 664 British Mar. 5. 1870

